It's now less than a half-hour away from the start of the L.A. Marathon and Bodie Olmos' run benefitting the American Cancer Society.

In the last several weeks, Mr. Olmos' fund-raising efforts have netted more than $8,000 for cancer research and there's still time for you to join in. Just visit Bodie's Active.com donations page to make your contribution.

Edward James Olmos, Bodie's father, has tweeted requests this morning for more donations as the clock ticks down to the race start, and I join him in urging you to consider doing so.

I donated in honor of my dad, whom I lost nearly 20 years ago to cancer. He was only 44 and his death had a tremendous impact on my life. The realization I've lived almost half my life without him now is a tough one but it cements my belief that this disease needs to be defeated.

If your life has been affected by cancer, too, then I ask you to please support Bodie and the American Cancer Society. Give what you can. A little or a lot, it all matters.